Chapter 8: Winged Gaze

The award ceremony soon began. The host took the stage, and music started playing. Meng Ying stopped talking with Gu Yan, sat up straight, and quietly watched the stage. She could still faintly smell the familiar fragrance, as if it came from his collar or his fingertips. She didn’t turn her head to look at Xu Dian.

She could only hear Yang Tong laughing softly, with Xu Dian responding in a low tone.

For a moment, Meng Ying’s mind was flooded with thoughts, including the message she had sent earlier with no reply. She had considered giving up before, but never quite managed it. If she wasn’t willing to let go, then she would keep going. As long as he didn’t say it was over, she wouldn’t give up.

She pinched her ear slightly, as the earring was fastened too tightly—slightly hard and itchy. But because of this small motion, her elbow ended up resting on the armrest next to Gu Yan. Her hair shifted slightly, and Gu Yan leaned back, smiling as he looked at her. After a second, Gu Yan’s gaze shifted upwards, meeting a pair of cold, indifferent peach blossom eyes. He froze for a moment as the man supported his chin, staring at him without a word.

A hint of indifference, a touch of detachment.

Gu Yan narrowed his eyes, instinctively straightening his posture.

His hand brushed against the smooth strands of hair sliding from his shoulder. The man’s gaze fell on the hand that was holding Meng Ying’s hair, then he raised an eyebrow in a half-smile before shifting his attention elsewhere.

It was only a brief moment of eye contact.

Gu Yan couldn’t help but feel a sense of threat.

He glanced at the nameplate behind the man.

There was no name.

Who was this?

Xu Dian withdrew his gaze lazily, leaning back against his chair. One hand idly playing with his phone, his face expressionless as he watched the stage. Yang Tong turned her head to glance at him, but couldn’t bring herself to speak anymore. After their brief conversation, she was now feeling uneasy… She really couldn’t figure Xu Dian out.

However, she still didn’t think Xu Dian would have any particular feelings toward Meng Ying. After all, even with the rumors surrounding Gu Yan and Meng Ying, Xu Dian had shown no signs of care.

She let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The award ceremony ended past 10 PM. Meng Ying was starting to feel a bit tired. There were many people still hanging around for the event, but as an artist, she had to endure the fatigue for the sake of exposure. So, despite being exhausted, she pushed through. As she got up, lifting her skirt, she glanced to her right.

Xu Dian hadn’t stayed for the entire ceremony; he had left halfway through.

Liu Qin waved at her from the exit, bringing Meng Ying back to focus. She smiled and walked toward Liu Qin, passing by Xu Qian along the way. Xu Qian gave her a hug, kissed her cheek, and smiled, saying, “I’m flying to Paris tomorrow morning. We’ll get together next time I’m back.”

“Alright,” Meng Ying smiled back, her eyes drifting to a man standing nearby, smoking. It was Xu Qian’s husband. The two had gone through a lot of turmoil before, but they had finally reconciled and were together now.

“Goodbye,” Xu Qian kissed her again before releasing her and walking toward her husband.

Meng Ying turned around and walked toward Liu Qin, linking arms with her, and said, “I’m so tired.”

“Then let’s go home,” Liu Qin replied.

They arrived at the apartment complex close to 11:30 PM. After saying goodbye to Liu Qin, Meng Ying carried her small bag upstairs. The apartment she had bought had only one unit per floor, so it was very quiet at night. Exiting the elevator, she saw someone standing by the window.

The person was fiddling with their glasses, head lowered. Hearing her footsteps, he looked up, their almond-shaped eyes filled with a smiling expression.

“You’re back?”

The coldness from before had disappeared, replaced with a bewitching smile, as if the two months of no contact were nothing.

Meng Ying pulled out her keys, murmured in acknowledgment, and forced herself to look away from him. She walked to the door, lowered her head to unlock it, and asked, “Don’t you have a key? Why didn’t you go in?”

“Forgot it,” Xu Dian replied.

His almond-shaped eyes lingered on her earlobes. The earrings were vividly red, and her profile… He squinted slightly and suddenly walked over, grabbing her hand and pressing it against the door. Then his thin lips moved closer, and he leaned against her ear, laughing as he kissed and licked it…

The sudden move startled Meng Ying. Her entire body stiffened, and she hunched her shoulders, softly pleading, “Let’s go inside.”

“Right here is fine,” Xu Dian said, maintaining his posture as he continued kissing her. She leaned against the door panel, her hand tightly pressed down by his, her whole body going weak as she struggled awkwardly. He chuckled, pressing against her waist to keep her from moving. His kisses trailed from her ear to her collarbone, then back to her neck.

She shrank back repeatedly, closing her eyes, lowering her head, and trembling.

The keys in her hand were taken by him. With a soft click, Xu Dian held her and led her inside. He turned and pressed her against the door again, his gaze lowered as he looked at her.

Meng Ying pushed against his chest.

His eyes lingered on her earrings.

“Was this on purpose? Hm? Wearing red to lure me here…”

Meng Ying raised her eyes, meeting his gaze. Her heart churned, and she couldn’t help but ask, “It’s been two months. Did you not miss… me?”

Why did you just stand by and watch me being caught up in rumors…

Xu Dian chuckled lowly, gently hooking her earrings with his glasses. He lifted her chin to look at her. “Of course I did.”

“You’re lying,” Meng Ying said, turning her head. Her hair fell across her face, hiding her skin. Xu Dian’s fingers brushed her hair aside, revealing her pale cheek. His fingertips played with her earlobe again before moving downward, tugging at her collar and leaning in for a kiss.

“Not lying. I really missed you,” he murmured.

“Rare moment to meet—don’t talk about this,” he added before capturing her lips.

She struggled, pushing him away and resisting, but there was a hint of surrender as she got lost in the moment. Dazed, she stared at the ceiling…

Circles upon circles.

Those circles felt like her emotions, endlessly entangled.

Two hours later, Meng Ying sat up, pulling the blanket over the man beside her. Xu Dian, with one hand covering his forehead, was lightly dozing. Sensing her movements, he half-opened his eyes, catching her gaze. His almond-shaped eyes carried deep emotions. Meng Ying froze for a moment, leaning closer to get a better look. Those eyes, however, closed again. He pinched her chin and smirked.

“I’m sleeping here tonight.”

Still dazed, Meng Ying murmured in agreement.

The man then sat up, the blanket slipping down. Supporting himself on his knees, he leaned in to kiss her. She closed her eyes, returning the kiss cautiously, timidly wrapping her arms around his neck. When she opened her eyes again, she saw him smiling at her as if mocking her.

She paused in confusion.

In his eyes, apart from the faint smile, there was… nothing else.

No trace of emotion.

It was as if the depth of affection she had just witnessed was nothing but an illusion.

Standing before the mirror, Meng Ying brushed her teeth and reflected on the moment. After a few seconds, she took out her phone and sent a message to Xu Qing on WeChat.

Meng Ying: Just now, when we were in bed… his gaze was so intense, full of emotion. It felt like the kind of deep feeling we try to express when acting. Do you think… maybe he’s just hiding it well?

Xu Qing: Huh? Are you sure? Could you be mistaken?

Meng Ying: I’m not mistaken, but it only lasted a moment.

Xu Qing: Tsk, what’s the deal with him? But honestly, I still think it’s weird.

Meng Ying: …

After sending the message, Xu Qing glanced at the man beside her. Gu Sui immediately put out his cigarette and looked at her. “Hm?”

Xu Qing crossed her long legs over his.

Gu Sui cast a glance down but didn’t move. “What are you doing?”

Xu Qing tilted her chin. “What if I end up in a scandal? What would you do?”

Gu Sui’s face darkened. “You must have a death wish.”

Now that was the reaction of a normal man. That idiot Meng Ying had to be imagining things. A man like Xu Dian—if he truly loved her—would never act this way.

A guy like him? He was the kind of man who could make you cut off your own finger and still thank him with a smile. Would someone like that let his girlfriend get caught in a scandal?

When Meng Ying came out of the bathroom, Xu Dian was already asleep. She sat at the edge of the bed for a moment before leaning closer and resting her head on his arm. His other hand lay across his forehead, his jawline sharp and defined. Meng Ying kissed his cheek softly and closed her eyes to sleep.

Moments later, the man who appeared to be asleep opened his eyes.

He lowered his gaze, watching the woman in his arms quietly for a few seconds. Then he closed his eyes again.

He tightened his arm slightly, holding her closer.

The next morning, Meng Ying was woken by the sound of her phone ringing. She reached out from under the blanket, grabbed the phone, and turned off the alarm. Then, instinctively, she reached out to the other side of the bed—but found nothing.

Startled, she opened her eyes wide. The spot beside her was empty. She sat up abruptly, glancing around the room.

It was empty.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Her heart leaped with joy—thinking it was Xu Dian returning, she immediately got out of bed and ran to open the door. Standing outside was Liu Qin, holding a bag of breakfast.

The excitement on Meng Ying’s face faded instantly.

Oblivious to her expression, Liu Qin squeezed inside, saying, “Come on, come on, I brought you porridge. Eat up—we’ve got a magazine shoot today.”

Meng Ying swallowed her disappointment, smiled faintly, and said, “I’ll wash up first.”

Meng Ying stepped into the bathroom. Stuck to the bathroom mirror was a sticky note with two bold characters written on it:

“Business Trip.”

The strokes were strong and deliberate.

“By the way…” Liu Qin’s voice grew louder as she approached.

Startled, Meng Ying quickly tore off the note and turned back with a smile. “What?”

Leaning against the doorframe, Liu Qin pouted. “Looks like Yang Tong will also be at today’s magazine shoot.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah. You’ll run into her again. But last night, you totally outshone her,” Liu Qin said with a smug grin.

Weibo was currently buzzing with Meng Ying’s new rumored fling with Gu Yan and endless praise for her outfit.

#GuYanMengYingConversation#
#MengYingEarringsAndDress#
#MengYingPrettierThanYangTong#

---

Meanwhile, a silver business van sped down the road. Yang Tong’s manager, Guan Xiao, scrolled through the trending topics on her phone, her face darkening.

“Ever since we pushed the Gu Yan and Meng Ying scandal onto the hot search, they’ve appeared on it together multiple times. Gu Yan’s popularity is no joke—Meng Ying’s fan count has grown by ten million in two months. And you?”

Yang Tong’s hand paused, holding the corner of her face mask.

Guan Xiao continued, “Why did President Xu even push Meng Ying and Gu Yan’s rumor to begin with? Now look at the results. Those two are the center of attention. Take last night’s awards ceremony—every eye was on them! And you? You were buried deep in the trending list and even got compared unfavorably to Meng Ying’s outfit!”

With a swift motion, Yang Tong ripped off her face mask. Her expression darkened as she stared at the trending topics.

Fans were praising Meng Ying’s beauty over hers. Not only that, Meng Ying alone occupied three trending topics. Yang Tong’s face turned even darker. “How was I supposed to know it would turn out like this? Someone like Gu Yan—how did he not turn against Meng Ying?”

Guan Xiao’s expression wasn’t much better. “Not only did he not turn against her, he’s fueling the rumor. His fans are eating up the couple pairing! President Xu’s move… it was really…”

Really just boosting someone else’s popularity. Handing the spotlight to them on a silver platter.

Yang Tong said nothing, clutching the face mask in her hands tightly, her gaze fixed on Weibo’s trending list.

The car soon turned into an alley. The sun was blazing outside, but the alley was cool and shaded. The silver van stopped, and the doors opened. Two assistants quickly got out, moving as if they were being chased by ghosts. Meng Ying’s rapid rise in popularity was becoming a real threat to Yang Tong. The tension inside the car was palpable.

Yang Tong and Guan Xiao got out next, with Yang Tong’s expression now composed. Guan Xiao was busy on the phone, arranging endorsement deals as they headed upstairs.

The eighth floor housed the magazine’s photoshoot studio.

As they stepped out, staff immediately came to greet them. Along the corridor, doors to the makeup rooms had names posted on them. One of them had “Meng Ying” written on it, marking it as a private room. Clearly, Meng Ying’s popularity had reached new heights.

Yang Tong stood in place for a moment, her emotions swirling. After a few seconds, she reached out and pushed open the door to Meng Ying’s makeup room. Inside, Meng Ying was getting her makeup done. Everyone turned in surprise at Yang Tong’s sudden entrance. Meng Ying opened her eyes and met Yang Tong’s gaze in the mirror.

Meng Ying was the first to react, forcing a smile and nodding politely at Yang Tong.

Yang Tong smiled back, walked over, and said, “The dress you wore last night was beautiful.”

She actually complimented Meng Ying. Everyone in the room was stunned, turning to look at Yang Tong.

Yang Tong continued to smile. “Today you’re shooting for a feminine-themed magazine, right? I think the corner of your eye makeup could be extended a bit more.”

She pointed at Meng Ying’s eye corner with her manicured finger.

Meng Ying simply smiled and replied, “We have a makeup artist for that.”

Implying she would follow the professional’s advice. Yang Tong chuckled, said no more, and left with a calm expression. Once Yang Tong left, everyone in the room collectively breathed a sigh of relief. The makeup artist resumed working on Meng Ying’s brows and the corners of her eyes. Meng Ying closed her eyes again, resting.

Liu Qin finally reacted, scoffing. “What’s with her sudden friendliness? I bet the brand she represents recently approached us and she’s feeling the heat.”

She crossed her arms and leaned against the table, studying Meng Ying’s beautiful face. After a few seconds, she gestured to the makeup artist to extend the eye makeup slightly.

The makeup artist hesitated but then followed suit. Instantly, Meng Ying’s look gained a hint of sultriness. She looked stunning. Liu Qin nodded approvingly, “This is it.”

When Meng Ying woke up, she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror and froze for a moment. This was her first time wearing such a bold look.

Liu Qin stood by and said, “Looks great, doesn’t it? If you like it, post a selfie on Weibo and interact with Gu Yan a bit.”

Meng Ying chuckled and took a few photos with her phone. Instead of posting them on Weibo, however, she sent them to Xu Dian. Not long after sending the pictures, a reply came back—surprisingly fast.

Xu Dian: “You look beautiful.”

Meng Ying froze, then hesitated for a while before typing.

Meng Ying: “Really?”

Xu Dian: “Really.”

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